Bachelor degree holder Meghendra Gurung of Dhankuta travelled to cites in Nepal and India in search of a suitable job, but found the most lucrative one in his own backyard. Gurung learnt about off-season vegetable farming when he visited Jharkhand in India and eventually began a business in his garden, with support from the Pakhribas Agriculture Research Centre.
Gurung now earns Rs 300,000 yearly by cultivating off-season vegetables on 0.2 hectares of land. Among the vegetables he plants are cabbages, peas, cauliflowers and potatoes. His earnings are more than enough to pay for his household expenses and he is now investing Rs 5 million to build a house in Subidha Bajar. The farmers who work with him have also been able to boost their income. Under Gurung's initiative, the surplus produce of these farmers has found a market in India. Gurung has brought together over 1,000 farmers through the Subidha Multipurpose Cooperative and he helps them in their business. He also gives them training in seed, fertiliser, and agriculture technology.
At present, 80 per cent of vegetables grown in Dhankuta are exported to India. Gurung has also begun a campaign to promote organic farming in the region, and is pushing for the elimination of chemical fertilisers.